


Endgame

by goodmorningvietnam666



Series: Bring Back Jack [2]
Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms
Genre: But it's Jack so what do you expect?, Gen, Some Subtext, Talking, Teasing, star-gazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 01:17:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6883132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodmorningvietnam666/pseuds/goodmorningvietnam666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He wonders what he's doing here: with Jack, with Amy and Rory; he wonders if any of it matters. </p><p>He wonders if he has any control over what happens next on this hill, with his hand in Jack's and laughter on his lips.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endgame

**Author's Note:**

> I was rewatching Torchwood and decided it was about time I dove back in headfirst into the Doctor Who Fandom; so I created a series, here's hoping it doesn't drop off of the radar within a month!
> 
> Enjoy the read and thank you for the support!

“There was this space whale, back when I was in charge of Torchwood”

The Doctor looks up and away from the spiral city and to Jack who is stooping down to sit beside him, their shoulders brushing lightly against one another. He doesn’t say anything, but inclines his friend to say that he should continue.

Jack chuckles, drawing his gaze out to the city they had been in only minutes ago, saving Zakadian citizens from a rampant child with a god complex. Amy and Rory were still lost within the spiral pillars, human curiosity driving them to spend hours exploring the alien city. He and Jack had left shortly after the crisis had been averted, content with knowing the city from the outside, and he returned to the hill they’d landed the TARDIS on. 

Travelling with Jack was part relief and part challenge; as his old friend new him far better than his other companions, and challenged some of his decisions without hesitation, without any regret or fear flashing through his gaze. It was gratifying not to have to explain himself to someone, to have a companion who could keep up, share knowledge, and understand why every person mattered, even the bad ones. 

“It was only shortly after the uh… the year that never was” Jack continues, rubbing at the back of his neck and smiling in a bittersweet way “I wanted to save it… figured I’d seen enough tragedy… but, well, we couldn’t”

The Doctor shifts, pulling up his long legs to hug them by the knee, leaning closer to his friend, not daring to look over “M’sorry” he manages, unsure what to say. 

Jack shrugs, he feels it against his shoulder, and then nods his head “Thanks? I dunno why I even…”

“It’s okay” he replies, catching his friend’s gaze “Really… I get it… I don’t much like the quiet either”

“I… I think I prefer it… with you, anyway… Never got much quiet when I was running around with Torchwood, or the Time Agency, or with you” Jack chuckles softly, slings an arm around his shoulders but doesn’t pull him close, just rests it there and it’s a comfortable weight “I never know what to say around you, doc”

It’s his turn to chuckle, and he runs a hand through his hair, careful not to disturb its style, and he’s not sure what to say, so he says nothing. 

Jack breathes in, deep and long, and sighs it out loudly, contently, as though he has no worries; and then, suddenly enough that the Doctor flinches, throws himself backwards, onto the soft, pale, pink grass, one arm pillowing his head, the other toying with the shoots of grass, dusting along them, never pulling, not at all rough. 

The Doctor watches him for a long while, a small smile snaking its way onto his face, and then returns his gaze to the city, content to listen to the sound of their breathing.  
It was so rare to have moments like this, and despite the moments of discomfort, the awkwardness, he found he cherishes them as Jack seems to “Was the whale the only thing you tried to save?” he asks, listening to Jack hum from behind him, and he imagines those blue eyes gazing up at the sky full of nebula and bright green stars. 

“Nah… well… we saved people almost every day: part of the job… but…” his friend sighs and its heavy this time, he crosses his legs at the ankle, then seems to decide this is uncomfortable and brings his right leg up to a comfortable bend “I’ve done a lot of killing, I wish there’d been more saving” he finally says, and the Doctor turns back to him, finally ignoring the city. 

“There are too many deaths”

Jack grins in a self-deprecating way, and the smile may as well light up the night sky “There are” he agrees softly, and a hand falls over his own, again, not pulling or gripping, just resting “Are you regretting this test run yet?” he asks, refusing to take his eyes off of the stars. 

The Doctor huffs a laugh, turns his hand into Jack’s and holds it gently, as though it would break “Not yet” he admits “Amy and Rory seem to like you” he adds, not sure what else is needed. 

Jack nods “I like them too: they seem like good people… though, you rarely pick up the bad ones” the hand he uses to hold the Doctor’s squeezes lightly, and he responds to the gentle pull of his friend’s arm, lying next to him, all awkward limbs and ridiculously long legs. 

He just hums in reply, surprised he has so little to say, given how much he usually talks, and Jack seems to understand this somehow, because he falls quiet too, and they lay there, watching the stars. Blissful silence manages to last for roughly five minutes before Jack laughs softly, with seemingly no reason to do so. 

He joins him, for whatever reason, and when the laughter dies he continues to grin “What are you laughing at?”

“You laughed too” Jack replies slyly, hoisting himself up onto his elbows to almost lean over the Doctor, their hands still loosely intertwined “And I’ll never tell, you’ll have to figure it out for yourself”

“I don’t usually respond well to challenges” he teases, and Jack laughs again; the Doctor realises just how much he likes that sound in that moment. 

“I’m more for the endgame, myself”

It’s cryptic, but the Doctor thinks he may deserve it, after all this time “I have the time to wait” he finally decides, and Jack nods, grin still plastered on his handsome features. 

“We both do”


End file.
